PFT live and joining us now and I have yet to understand how
we're going to find out. Yeah, how Jerrod Mayo the Patriots
inside. Linebackers coach got the dispensation from Bill
Belichick. Well, this
is like an anti Bella checking in regularly tell coach.
I don't know. I'm off the clock interview for head coaching
jobs. I'm off the clock. That's awesome. How you doing, man?
What's going on? What's life been? Like first off,
just like explained people,
you know, life going from,
you know, player in the NFL middle linebacker to now coach,
right climbing. The ranks being talked about for future head
coach positions, you know, explain that transition. And
what was that like for you?
Yeah, you kind of missed a step there as well. You know, when
I retire from playing football actually worked in business for
three years at Optimum or UnitedHealth Group. So, I did
that for three years ended up being vice president of the
Business Development
and then came back and started coaching. You know, I missed
it. I missed being around the guys. I miss developing
the guys, but
at the same time I just enjoyed developing people as a whole
and helping people get to where they want to be. And anytime
I get, you know, a group of guys linebackers, Deedee doesn't
matter who they are. I want to help them get to where they
want want to be when you grew up. So I'm always fascinated
Jerrod by those big decisions
and you found yourself a post football career, you were
having success.
How long did you wrestle with this idea of, you know, I'm
going to stay on this path versus. I'm going to go back
into the grind work harder than I ever did before because
I know how hard the coaches work in New England. How long did
you have to wrestle with it before you decided to do it?
I wrestle. I Wrestled a long time with it and honestly, my
wife, you know, bill called my wife first and asked her, if
she would let me coach, which I thought was funny and I was on
the road so much, you know, working in Corporate America
that it was actually
easier as far as my
Travel schedule is concerned
to come back here to New England, but I missed a locker
room, miss being around guys and I honestly wouldn't do it.
Any other way. I thought really my time. They're working as
a low-level coach would have scared him off it for sure.
I mean he used to call me. He used to call me crab him and
Vince Wilfork used to call me crab, and I was like, what is
that? Call me crap for I don't get it.
What is it? And I finally put it together. They were calling
me crap because I was like a bottom-feeder. I was on
the bottom of the ocean, cleaning up the crap there so that it
doesn't scare you.
I guess, I guess you're loving what you're doing.
Like, one thing Dorada. I'm fascinated by maybe you could,
like, explain this to people out there.
What is it about? It seems like linebackers are more apt to get
into coaching and want to be head. Coaches. Is there
something there that you? Look at about that position? That
maybe translates to
the game in a different way.
Yeah. We're linebackers are the quarterbacks of the defense.
Yeah. We have to know what's going on up front. We have to
know what's going on behind us. And The same thing on the other
side. A lot of these quarterback coaches are
offensive. Guys are former quarterback, right? Look at
Kevin O'Connell,
just went to Minnesota or was going in Minnesota after they
play in the Super Bowl. But you know these guys, you know,
the linebacker position is the quarterback of the defense and
you have to conceptually know the entire defense
you have to know how offensive
offenses are trying to attack you. So
they're usually your smartest players. So if you kind of like
split it right down the middle is your safeties and your
linebackers are, hopefully your smartest players on the field,
right?
You play with Tom, Brady in New England, and he's made a little
news, the past week or so. He had us on retirement, watch for
a week or two, and now less than a week after that. We're
on Tom. Brady unretire, meant watch. Do you have
a gut feeling as to whether or not? He's truly done? Because
he's already talking like a guy who's gonna come back.
Not, you know, honestly, he's not coming back. Look, Tom is
the ultimate competitor.
I kind of look at it. Just the same way. I looked at Cody,
when he was finished with, Kobe finished playing basketball. He
went into a bunch of different Ventures and Tom has, Ready
started pivoting and two different Ventures off
the field. Whether it's the crypto thing he was doing.
I'm sure you know, he has to production company.
He has TB 12. He has the clothing line.
There's a bunch of different things that you know, quite
honestly, there's nothing else for him to accomplish here in
football. Well, what else is there for them to do at this
point? It's all about art. What is the next challenge? And
that's just the kind of guy
that time is
Gerard. I'm fascinated in like the fact of player. OK. You New
England way middle linebacker. Balichek everybody coaching
you.
Now, tell me what the difference is with Belichick.
Now you're working for him in a different way. Like what, tell
me, anything new you've learned about him
from the coach's perspective as compared to when you were
playing middle linebacker for him.
Yeah, that he has a light side, you know, he's a lighter side
with the coaches
and honestly though I would say, you know, working for
Bill's been great. He's a leader of man. He actually
breaks down. The game itself is the ultimate.
Teacher at the same time, I would say
he is also evolved as the players have evolved. Right? And so
it's a different group of players than we had 10 15, 20
years ago, you know, the attention span is different.
The toughness is a little bit different but at the same time
these guys are, you know, they're very skilled athletes
that go out there and play ball on a down after down basis
and he's evolved as a coach, which I think is spectacular.
He had interviews issue with the Broncos and the Raiders for
their vacant head coaching positions vacant at the time,
obviously. What did you learn about yourself going through
that process?
I learned that I'm on the right track. And that was one of
the reasons
I should say. That was the reason that I even took those
interviews. Uh, you know, did I have a chance to get the job or
not? I don't know. And that's for the for those teams to
decide.
But at the same time, I always take advantage of opportunities
to grow and those opportunities to sit in front of, you know,
the top of the top, you know, the GM's, the owners of teams.
Those are opportunities that I don't want to turn down,
and
I was like what I learned about myself. I learned that I could
I could I could work in those circles. I could talk to
a bunch of different people and I think that comes from my
background and when we talk about diversity, I'm
sure we're going to talk about a little bit, but we talk about
diversity. It's not only diversity as far as skin color
is also diversity of thought. There's also diversity
generational diversity. And I think all of those pieces are
important when you're trying to lead a group of men and women
to go after that
common goal, which is a Super Bowl victory.
Yeah. Well, that's why you're going to be a head coach one
day. I know it. You've got everything that all the, all
the things that make a good head coach. I really believe
that. And just the way man, you really do. The way you acted as
a player.
I witnessed it the way you act now, I mean, it's awesome. It
really is. I think it's on the horizons for sure. Here's
another one I got for you because we're same generation.
We played against each other and some preseason football
games.
God. I hope I get you high,
you know, I just got back.
I just got one of my first games back. After I lost my
spleen. We played the the New England Patriots. I think it
was And maybe, you know and
it was one of males first games
and they were working them in. They were trying to make them
the starter right away. He played like the whole damn game
Kelly but
wait, you know, what's crazy? And I don't know maybe
maybe I'm crazy but is it not ass like I'm a am? Is it not
amazing? Are you not amazed as compared to the quarterbacks
now as compared to when we were in the league or
the quarterbacks 15 years ago,
we're just was so much more traditional
and now you're dealing with Josh Allen twice a year in my
homes and Lamar. Jackson. I mean are you as Amazed by
the skill set of the quarterbacks is I am at times,
you know, I am but I'm also amazed how the rules kind of
help these offensive players and they've changed over
the years as well. Yeah, and I always tell the guys
defensively quarterbacks are the hardest people to tackle on
the field, right? As soon as they take off. They have
the ability to slide. They have the ability to run Outta bounds and
they're always
going to get the late hit penalty.
They have the ability to run you over. I or GQ out like, you
talked about, you know, Pat Mahomes. And Allen
and Lamar Jackson all these athletic quarterback. So,
it's tough to really get these guys on the ground and
sometimes as a coach and I hate, I hate saying this to my
players, but sometimes, as a coach you just had to say, you
know, there's not much I can tell you do differently there.
Yeah. Gerard you mentioned the issue of diversity and you know
Brian Flores. Well from your time together in New England,
you you were a player. When he was on the coaching staff. You
are a colleague when he was on the coaching staff.
What's been the reaction by you? What's been the buzz among
your peers? As to the stand, the surprising stand, for many
foremost for everyone that Brian Flores decided to take
against the NFL.
Yeah, you know, honestly, I'm still Gathering the facts on
that whole store. But what I will say is, I definitely see
the frustration as far as the lack of minority head coaches
in the NFL. You know, when you look at Italy Grover, 70% of
the players are black and you only have a, you know, you
don't have really at the time. One, black head coach. I mean,
there's something to be said about that and it's not about,
do you have people who are qualified
to really lead a team.
And when I really look at these, you know, when I really
look at the funnel, I look at the top of the funnel on
the bottom. Phone. Also
the bottom of the funnel. I think they've done a great job
as far as the minority hiring.
Okay. Having these guys come in
and then here in New England, these guys have actually
been offered roles to stay with the team throughout the season
and going forward, which I think is great. Now, when you
go to the top of the funnel, as far as ownership is concerned,
there are no black owners.
There are, you know, there are no black owners in the league,
it is what it is. Hopefully one day we won't have to say this,
but that's what it is. But what I will say
the progress has been made is especially
Lee this year was just in the GM cycle,
right? When you look at quazy, look at page. She look at all
these guys, especially the pipeline that Minority or
the black GM pipeline or up-and-coming Pipeline
and the next cycle
like to me that will start to trickle down
and to the head coaching and the
coordinator cycle as well. But, you know, the Rooney Rule,
great idea for implementation, but at the same time, I think
there's definitely things to be hopeful for
and at the same time, I can see the frustration.
All the frustration
from my brother's.
Now from my perspective, my personal perspective. Remember,
I'm only going into my fourth year of coaching.
And so to have three head-coaching interviews and
that in three years, really, of coaching.
I can't really complain.
Now, if you look at it from another perspective, which
I always think is important to look at it from different
perspectives. If you look at it from Lesley, Frazier's
perspective, look at it from be enemies perspective. Even look
at it from beef. Rolls perspective.
There is true true friend.
Frustration there and that is warranted right warranted.
Frustration because these guys are proven leaders and there
have been people with less, you know, less success.
Not as much as they haven't accomplished as much on
the field and they're just not getting these opportunities,
but at the end of the day,
don't hire me because I'm black hire me, because I'm competent
hired me because I can lead a group of men and women, after
a common goal, a common Vision, right? Shared vision,
and hopefully that's why I
hired me because
Best person for the job, extremely well that and we hope
it gets to that point. The NFL where those are the basis for
the decisions that are made.
Now. We can't let you go
without asking you about
Super Bowl commercial
with Pete Davidson
for Hellmann's male. I wonder how Giraud Mayo
got a helmet as Mayo gig. I'm going to have to have someone
explain the. I mean I don't I mean still I'm so I don't give
a damn what his last name is or anything. It's a lot easier.
Damn.
Tell us about
Yeah, it's been great. You know, it's a natural
partnership, you know, helmets mayo and me. Alright. Male
male, really looking to tackle food waste, you know, most of
these times when I do these commercials, I don't learn much
but I did learn some things during this shoot,
which I thought was fascinating and also sad,
you know, 40% of the food
that we take in here in the United States, is wasted when
you think about as close to half of the food that we take
is wasted and then half 40% of that. Food comes out of our
homes, so we're not even counting
what Turns out, you know, the grocery stores and things like
that. And when you talk about people, you talk about
social Mobility. Talk about the struggles that people have out
here in this country, like cutting back on wasted, food
would definitely go long
and go hard for the success of those people. So helmets is
definitely taking a long-term Vision here, you know, they're
looking out the 2030 as far as programs put into place
to help you get around the confusion of food labels,
right? The Best Buy sell buy used by date. How we
Standardized that stuff going forward and then that will lead
to less food waste and hopefully a better world. Hey,
that's a great man. Because my wife and I do that math all
the time, cell by use
pass the smell test, but I'm good with the protest. She's
like just because it doesn't smell bad doesn't it doesn't
mean that
awesome stuff. We look forward to seeing your commercial
during the Super Bowl and we can't wait until the day that
you are
coaching Sarah head coach in a Super Bowl. I think it's going
to happen sooner
than people. I still can.
I believe there's a New England assistant coach going to be on
the Super Bowl commercial. It just doesn't.
I think that's the craziest thing of all you the manager.
You the man talk to you buddy. I appreciate it. Thanks for
time Catholic. Yes.